Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada

We proclaim our connection to the God of the past – the God of Abraham and Sarah, of Mary and Jesus, of Paul and Lydia, to the God of the present – who actively participates in the world and in our lives – and the God of the future who “is and ever shall be world without end.”

We know the nature of God through divine activity in time. Our Bible so often carefully lays out time – "In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria." 

Time is a gift from God that is subject to the same criteria as other gifts – recognition, respect, stewardship.

Here is the second instalment of considering the ethical values or criteria that the church might adopt when ministering with children and their families. (See the first instalment here.) I do hope that you might find them helpful as you work with Christian Education committees, Boards and hospitality.

1. Quality Christian Education. We strive and are called to a standard of excellence. Christian education/faith formation with children is a responsibility of the church. (It is also our responsibility to support parents/caregivers in this work.) As a community of faith we provide opportunities for increasing participation in and reflection upon Christian teachings, traditions and practices which, over time, assists in the formation of identity and life as people of faith.

Over the next few weeks, I would like to have a conversation about the ethical values or criteria that the church might adopt when ministering with children and their families. By considering how we want to be in relationship, it may guide what we want to do.

To bless children and to be blessed by them the church is called to be a community that acts and speaks in particular ways. In order to be a community of blessing, the Christian community needs to be marked by: